Board rejects proposed budget that would raise district taxes about 12.9%

The Toms River Regional School District presented a budget plan that would rely on raising the tax levy by about $21.3 million and applying for up to $1 million in tax-levy incentive aid, producing a districtwide tax increase of roughly 12.9%. Speaker 8, the district presenter, told the board the levy increase was the balancing mechanism the district was asked to consider by the state Department of Education: "the only way about I could balance a budget and the only way I could balance a budget, this year is to apply for the tax levy incentive increase, which in turn would apply a 12.9% tax increase, to the Tombs River Regional Schools." Speaker 4 outlined town-by-town impacts and noted the net increase reflects a drop in debt service that offsets part of the levy change.